Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-15
A Series of Extraordinary Indigni-
ties Compromised by the Pay
ment of Some $4,000.
Diplomatic Relations Between Greece and
ROumania Severed, and the ROu-
mania Minister Recalled.
The City of Dublin, Ireland, Proclaimed
to be Under the Crimes Act
Other Foreign Notes.

lection by his own government, Sven
Britt, naturalized citizen of the United
States, has just been paid the niggardly
sum of e4OO by the Russian government
Cor series of most extraordinary indigni-
ties heaped upon him.
Britt was born in Russia, and came to
this country in 1874. He became citizen
Of the state of New York in 1879 and re-
turned to Russia the year following TO
settle some family affairs. Without war
rant or pretext, he was seized as a muir
derer, locked up, and after undergoing ter
rible hardships was turned almost naked
into the streets, and the only satisfaction
he could get was that "a mistake had been
made" His outrageous case attracted the
attention of Dr. James +. Love, the Ameri-
can dentist in Alexandria, Egypt, who
wrote to DR. Edward Bedloe, of this city,
asking him in the name of justice and hui
manity to make an effort to have the gov
eminent of the United States take cog
nizance of the wrongs imposed upon one of
its citizens.
DR.. Bedloe, who is patriotic TO the core
went to Washington and had several inter
views with the secretary of state, but got
little or no satisfaction. This was after
Mr.. Britt had employed counsel in Odessa,
and through him had opened correspon-
dence with the state department. The
Russian government offered to pay $1,000
indemnity for the mistake but this
BrltZ refused TO accept, claiming that he
was entitled to an annuity through his
life, which he believed had been shortened
by the barbarouS treatment he had received.
The story of the outrage, told in BIRTHS
own words is as follows: Having left nv
native country, Russia, in 1874, | emigrat-
I'd to the United States OF America, where
] settled in New York and became a natur-
allied citizen. In 1880, Prof Herzog and
DR.. Friedenberg, two doctors of Mount
Zion hospital, advised me to try a change
of air, and as | had some family affairs to
regulate at home, | returned to Yalta, in
Crimea. Here my health was perfectly re-
stored; and | went to live at Odessa, where
] spent two years earning my living partly
by trading and partly in the employ of the
5ramway. After the revolution of Alexan-
iria had been suppressed | thought
! might lind better place in
Egypt, whittier | repaired. Unfortunately
my hopes Were not realized and | had to
accept a position on the police force, with
a monthly salary of 81. Having hurt my
the hospital, and the consul of Russia
accompanied by the secretary and governor
OF Alexandria, made their appearance at
the hospital and arrested me without
giving me an opportunity TO speak a word
or TO ask for an explanation of this extra
ordinary proceeding. One day | was sent
for by the governor OF Alexandria who
showed me a photograph, declaring the
same to be my likeness, and that | had
brutally murdered two women at NicOlaiff
in Russia. | denied having committed the
crime imputed TO me or being the man
represented by the photograph and re-
quested that competent person might be
sent for in order to prove my identity with
the photograph. The government photoo-
rapher was at once sent for and declared
that ! was not the man represented by the
photograph, but In spite of this official de-
claratlon, the Russian consufS influence
was great enough to induce the governor
to grant my extradition to Russia and |
was ordered to be sent to ConStantinoDle
and to be placed on my arrival there at the
disposal of the Russian legation On my
arrival at Constantinople, however, | was
refused permission to go ashore, and | was
carried further on to Odessa in great dis
tress and suffering"
When, in 1888, | arrived at Odessa. I.
of course, expected to be sent at once to
Nicolaietf for trial, but it came otherwise
was first sent TO Elizabethgrad, then to
Balta, kremencZuk, Kominska, thence
back to izabethgrad. ! had to stay in
prison in each of these places from five to
eight days, in irons, with the exception of
Balta, where they kept me two weeks in
prison. During the whole time the authori-
ties gave me but copeks, or SIC. for
bread and water, and had to pay about
twenty times this amount for obtaining
this scant allowance Having been accuS,
cd rNf tao Il Il -
much as 10 roubles, or s., in gold for each
ration of tea, and for allowing me a little
tribe of sugar to my tea the jailer at Balta
took away from me gold watch valued
at about $50. Moreover, at the railway
station at Balta TO the city jail n distance
of about three miles, | had TO walk in the
summer shoes had brought from Egypt,
and IL being spring, and consequently very
cold and dirty, fell into the frozen dirt
up to my thighs. This gave me a severe
cold, and l began TO cough violently.
When at last | arrived at Nicolaietf | had
no trial, but was transported to Cherson
under an escort OF ten armed guards
whose living had to pay for
miles, "n IN or Sn'e that a tbeT nifty fifty
not treat me with such cruelty
as those people are accustomed TO do
In each jail where they put me- the author
titles at the same time put several spies. in
order TO find out if / were a Nibilist or
not, and in the same way they kept me for
a whole week in prison at Cherson. All
my clothes, washing, etc, that | wanted
Tor myseif, Were stolen from me or | had to
give them up, so that remained with one
solitary shirt the whole time. After n
weeks soJourn in the Cherson Jail. | was
back on foot TO Nicolaieff
My feet were swollen and covered with
bllsters, but still hoped TO be at last nj an
end of my sutferings, and indeed after an
other SIX days the judge of instruction
sent for me, and first wanted 70 know how
l got TO America As the Russian law
Furnishes the emigration without the
allowance OF the competent local authori-
ties with SlX months Imprisonment. had
10 have recourse TO A lie. telling the iudc-p
hat my father had emigrated to America
In the service of the RuSSo-American com
pany, and that j was born and brought up
there from childhood. Then the judge
called ten or fifteen witnesses 10 identity
me with the accused murderer. but all ties
tlhed that was not like the murderer at
all, who had lived about twenty wears in
the place, and was head shorter than l."
After few days more the authorities
liberated me and was sent out of prison
as poor and naked as a church mouse. II
.hen appIed TO the Governor General of
Nlcolalf, requesting him TO grant me the
means necessary 20 return TO Alexandria
and there resume my former position. His
Exceliency replied that for such an object /,
ne nau no funds on hand. / ought TO add |
here, that after my liberation the procura- |
tor OF the State delivered me a Certificates !
stating that had been arrested by mis-
take and this was the only satisfaction | |
obtained. After my request had been re |
fused by the Governor General, | wrote to |
some merchants in Odessa, with whom | |
had been IN business formerly. and they |
sent me 2oo roubies, with which | could eff !
tct my return 10 Alexandria This is a /
veraclous report Of Russian Justice as / !
found 1t, and it is owing 10 the hardships I /
have undergone that my health is shatter- |!